Kerala BJP leader PC George in jail in hate speech case

A court in Kottayam district of Kerala remanded BJP leader PC George to 14-day judicial custody on Monday in a hate speech case. The Erattupetta Munsif Magistrate Court rejected George’s bail application earlier in the day.

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Senior police officials questioned George before he was sent to jail, the police sources said. George, a former MLA, surrendered before the Erattupetta Munsif Magistrate Court around 11.05 am. The case was taken up for consideration at 12.30 pm, followed by arguments from both sides.

After hearing the submissions, the court adjourned the case for further consideration at 2 pm. George’s lawyer argued that he did not incite “religious hatred or hurt religious sentiments”, asserting that custodial interrogation or evidence collection was unnecessary. George was accused of delivering a hate speech against a minority community during a TV channel discussion.

The prosecution, however, presented details of George’s previous cases, stating that he had violated bail conditions and should be questioned in custody. They contended that his remarks were made in a manner that hurt “religious sentiments”.

When the case was taken up after 2 pm, the court dismissed George’s bail application.

Later, he was taken to Kottayam Government Medical College for a medical examination. George surrendered after police arrived to take him into custody following the Kerala High Court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail plea.

He approached the HC after the Kottayam Sessions Court rejected his bail plea in the case registered by the Erattupetta police. The case was based on a complaint by Muhamed Shihab, a Muslim Youth League leader, who alleged that George made remarks capable of “inciting religious hatred”.